There is nothing quite like decorative items to bring your home alive, in fact we’d go as far as saying that unique décor can add soul to each room. The secret to successfully using art and original décor in interior design is to understand the tips and tricks, which means you will not only be adding the finishing touch, you’ll know how to completely elevate the room.
There is an enormous choice of styles and genres of art and decoration that can each be displayed in many ways, so we’re going to help you understand how to go about displaying your art, to benefit the space and showcase the artwork.
Decorative artist and manager of Studio 2 Art & Design, Emily Portsmouth, explains, “Studio 2’s contemporary artists are often contacted by interior designers who need a piece of artwork in a specific size, colour or style to add the finishing touch to a room. We either provide an off-shelf solution or take commissions to create custom artworks that will define the space and create a focal point.”
Here are five tips to help you traverse the different methods of choosing artwork for the home.
1.Create a focal point
If you are lucky enough to have a large space to work with, you could include a large custom canvas painting or bespoke art as a focal point in the room. Imagine a plain wall behind your sofa or at the end of the dining table brought to life by a brightly coloured neon image. This will not only provide interest, colour and depths to the room, it will also add drama and create an interesting talking point.
When you hang one large dramatic painting or indeed a well-positioned decorative item such as a sculpture in a room, it immediately draws the eye and makes a big statement. In order for that statement to be successful, it is important to remember you don’t want the decoration to compete with the artwork.
What you choose to hang as your focal point is a matter a personal preference, as long as you love it and can live with it, go for it. You can get advice on the best type of artwork to make your room pop from the professional artists at Studio 2 Art & Design in Puerto Banús, Marbella. When you visit the studio, you can view a gallery of off-the-shelf works and also discuss bespoke art commissions and explore the different genres of art available to you.
2.Colour choices
Quite often inspiration can come from the most unexpected places, for example you may have a favourite item of clothing, swatch of fabric or piece of furniture that you love. Similarly, you may have invested in a piece of artwork which is bursting with colour.
If you have such a piece of art, this can provide the perfect starting point for your chosen colour palette. However, a word of warning, unless you enjoy the aesthetic of an explosion in a paint shop, it is better to pick out a particular colour or shade as your base colour rather than try to include everything.
Picking out two of the strongest colours from your custom artwork to use as accent, can create a sophisticated and dramatic effect. This could be reflected in the colour of the walls, furniture or soft furnishings.
Working on the same basis, you could also use the art work as a starting point for choosing shapes which could be mirrored in the accessories and furnishings.
3.Wall treatments and murals
We’ve all heard the phrase ‘think outside the box’, well why not do this when choosing bespoke artwork? Literally, your artwork doesn’t need to be in a box for frame, you could consider a decorative wall treatment or a mural to provide a breath-taking backdrop.
A mural isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it doesn’t need to be too radical, you can commission elegant hand painted mural landscape, whether you prefer a tropical paradise, English countryside or a delicate Chinoiserie style vista, the choice is yours. Commissioning a mural is a big decision but it also brings enormous rewards, providing a truly immersive experience …. and a definite talking point.
4.Materials, mediums and textures
We briefly touched upon the option of using different types of art, like swapping an oil or acrylic painting for a neon. Yet this is just the tip of the iceberg, art can be created in a plethora of different mediums, from textiles to glass, ceramics, metals, wood etc. This could take the form of 3D wall art in a range of textures which add a touch of contemporary excitement or a tapestry, whether this is a priceless heirloom or something you have lovingly created yourself, that brings warmth to a space, each option imbues a sense personality, setting the tone for the overall look and feel of the room.
One of the key elements to get right with 3D art and indeed tapestries is the scale, as the nature of the artwork means that there will be added depth and shadow.
5.The rule is, there are no rules!
Finally, forget about the sometime stuffy and elitist rules surrounding what type of art you should and shouldn’t like, how and where it should be hung. You are the boss when it comes to choosing artwork to enhance your home.
Sure, there are generally accepted aesthetics of what works and doesn’t (for example, how many times have you heard about gallery walls and grids?) but there really are no hard and fast rules as to whether you should design your scheme around the art or vice versa. Maybe you have chosen your artwork, accessory or even a wall treatment, because it tells a story, it’s the perfect colour, texture or shape or many you simply fell in love with it as soon as you set eyes on it.
Regardless of what you choose, all that matters is that it represents your personality and taste and will help you to achieve your vision of how you want your home to look and feel. You have to love it, as you are the one who will be living with it, so don’t be shy, choose what you really like and to hell with trends and fashion. Don’t be shy, proudly place your artwork and make your statement.
If you would like to commission a piece of custom artwork or to view the range of artwork and decorative items available at Studio 2 visit the website, pop by our workshop in Puerto Banús or get in touch on welcome@studio2artdesign.com.